Instrumentation used to perform confirmation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)
The Wadsworth Center investigated the deaths of five common loons (Gavia immer) collected from New York State waters for suspected type E botulism, a rare type that is usually associated with birds and aquatic environments. Four of the birds were recovered from Lake Erie in Erie County, and one was collected from Lake Ontario in Oswego County. Liver samples from all five loons, along with gastrointestinal contents (pooled samples from the Lake Erie loons and an individual sample from the Lake Ontario loon), were collected on November 19, 2025.
Diagnostic testing performed by the Wadsworth Center Biodefense Laboratory confirmed the presence of Clostridium botulinum type E in specimens associated with the Erie County loons. Both liver tissue and gastrointestinal contents tested positive by real-time PCR, with confirmation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). In addition, a bacterial isolate was successfully recovered from gastrointestinal contents and confirmed as C. botulinum serotype E. The isolation of the organism strengthens the evidence linking botulism to this mortality event and contributes to ongoing surveillance efforts for avian botulism in the Great Lakes region.